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Here in Florida, retention ponds abound. We have at least four at the office, maybe five. They are stocked with fish and a number of the people who work here enjoy spending breaks fishing, doing a catch and release. . .

Several of my friends are fishing enthusiasts and one day a couple of them invited me to join them. I had never fished in my life! They patiently instructed me on the nuances of this “sport” and fished near me to help out as needed.

But, before I tell you what happened, I want to interject that while I really enjoy being outside and enjoying the beauty of nature, I don’t think fishing is really for me. Just don’t tell them that!

As we were making our way around the pond, casting away, I had many times I felt like something was tugging on my line, but when I would reel in, there wouldn’t be a thing there. One of the guys finally helped me set the hook on a nibble and let me reel in the fish and gave me all the credit! Here I am with my fish. (Yes, I know with my hand not in the picture it looks suspicious – the line kept slipping and I kept having to lift my arm higher and higher to allow this monster to get into the picture!)

Synopsis:

Jules Sheehan will do anything to keep custody of the two orphaned girls in her care—including a marriage of convenience with their uncle. Cam Quinn crosses the globe as a travel writer, but he’s ready to settle down. Now tough, tender Jules is offering the home he’s secretly longed for. Can this marriage in name only become a family of the heart?

I would like to thank Just Read Publicity Tours for giving me this copy of the book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.

A puppy, a toddler, a three-year-old. Fishing. So completely adorable! I could just picture the events in my head as these girls experienced their first fishing trip.

Cam was such a sweet, yet hurting man. Despite the terrible memories he had for this small town, when he heard his sister had died and left two little girls behind he dropped everything and headed back to help however he could. Of course, he had no idea what that would end up meaning!

He was the type of guy who did thoughtful things. Like the date he took Juliet on. He was also the clueless kind of man who brought home a new puppy for the girls without thinking about asking his new wife what she thought of the idea. Oops!

The struggles that Cam had in accepting the fact that anyone could care for him rang true. His difficulty in accepting the value he had in Christ despite the fact that he was a Christian and knew the Lord is one that many people face. . .

I really enjoyed Juliet and her siblings. The fact that all of them had such hearts for kids, and especially foster children. Aww! I can’t believe her mother was so clueless as to give her the gift she did. Yikes!

There were a number of surprises including the custody issue. Not the fact that it was resolved – this is the kind of book I knew that would happen. It was the manner in which the situation was resolved that was the surprise.

I was a little disappointed that there was no mention of Cam’s need to forgive. Despite the way he had been wronged, forgiveness isn’t optional. It’s a command. Not that I think he should have acted differently in the situation at the end of the book – that was truly the choice that made the most sense. It’s just that the need to forgive was not addressed at all.

As the fourth book of the Family Blessings series, there were many characters from previous books here – Jules has a big family. While it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story that I don’t know the backstories, it was clear that I had missed out by not having read the previous books.